January 12, 2012 | Daily Monitoring Report.
 |
Three Kenyan policemen shot dead near Somali border12 Jan – Source: AP – France 24 News – 462 words Gunmen killed three Kenyan police and wounded two others in the latest of a string of attacks in the northeastern border region with war-torn Somalia, police said Thursday. “The attack occurred at a camp in Gerille in Wajir on Wednesday night and we lost three officers, two others were injured,” a senior police officer in the region, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP. “There are others who have not been accounted for,” he said, adding that the attackers had used firearms and thrown an explosive device. The strike took place some 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Kenya’s border with Somalia, an area hit by a series of blasts in the three months since Nairobi sent troops into Somalia to fight Islamist al Shabaab insurgents there. Hand grenades have been thrown into bars and a church, while homemade explosive devices have been set off, many targeting security forces. Police spokesman Eric Kiraithe confirmed the attack but said he had not yet “received the full details.” No group claimed responsibility, but Kenyan officials have repeatedly blamed Somalia’s Al-Qaeda linked Shebab or their sympathisers for previous bombings and shootings, although armed bandits also operate in border areas. |
||
Key Headlines
|
|||
PRESS RELEASEKenya: Security forces abusing civilians near Somalia border12 Jan – Source: Human Rights Watch – 1049 Words The Kenyan security forces are beating and arbitrarily detaining citizens and Somali refugees in Kenya’s North Eastern province, which borders on Somalia, despite repeated pledges to stop such abuses, Human Rights Watch said today. On January 11, 2012, in the latest of a series of incidents documented by Human Rights Watch since October 2011, security forces rounded up and beat residents of Garissa, the provincial capital, in an open field within the enclosure of the local military camp. A Human Rights Watch researcher witnessed the incident. “When military officers can beat civilians in broad daylight without fearing repercussions, it’s clear that impunity has become the norm,” said Daniel Bekele, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “Repeated promises by both the police and the military to stop these abuses and investigate have amounted to nothing.” The Kenyan police and military have been responsible for a growing number of serious abuses against civilians since the Kenya Defence Forces entered southern Somalia in October, with the stated aim of eliminating al-Shabaab, an Islamist militia. The same month, suspected al Shabaab sympathizers initiated a series of attacks against police, military, and civilian targets in Kenya. In response, members of the security forces have been responsible for rape, beatings, looting, and arbitrary arrests of civilians. The crackdown has largely targeted Somali refugees and Kenyan ethnic Somalis, but residents of other ethnic backgrounds in North Eastern province have also been victimized. SOMALI MEDIASomali president: People in drought-hit regions need help12 Jan – Source: Shabelle – 200 words The president of Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said today that many people in famine-stricken regions of the country are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. While speaking to the media in the capital, Mogadishu, Somalia president Ahmed, stressed that there are tens of thousands of drought victims who are currently living in territories which were recently liberated from al Shabaab fighters by TFG soldiers with the support of neighbouring Ethiopian troops, and want emergency relief responses. “As TFG troops backed by AU peacekeepers and Ethiopian troops are making advances in al Shabaab strongholds in the south and central regions of Somalia, we are seeing a worrying rise of hunger and diseases from the areas held by the militants,” the Somali president told reporters in Mogadishu. Mr. Ahmed lastly asked the international aid agencies and world community for humanitarian assistance to thousands of people affected by the drought and famine in Somalia. TFG Forces in Beledweyne apprehend al Shabaab suspects12 Jan – Source: Radio Mogadishu – 86 words The latest report from Beledweyne town in Hiiraan region says that TFG forces have arrested several extremists following an operation carried out this morning. The TFG troops apprehended the suspects in the town centre following a tipoff from the area residents. The arrested suspects were allegedly planning attacks in Beledweyne and its environs. The suspected al Shabaab members are currently in the hands of TFG forces for further interrogation and investigations, according to one of the TFG staff who spoke to Radio Mogadishu. Al Shabaab pulls out of several bases in Hiiraan region11 Jan – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan – 226 words Al Shabaab rebel fighters have reportedly started fleeing their bases in several villages of Hiran region following reports that the combined forces that recently seized Beledweyne town were heading towards their bases. Locals who requested not to be named told Bar-kulan that rebel fighters and their leaders were seen fleeing villages between Beledweyne and Bulo Burde town, where they have been trooping up after the fall of Beledweyne. Pro-government militias backed by Ethiopian troops have reportedly left Beledweyne town in an effort to attack rebel bases in Bula Burde, where tension is prevailing. Reports say rebel fighters pitched tents between Bula Burde town and Halgan village after fleeing their bases. Locals say rebel fighters may not be able to stay in the area for long since TFG forces backed by allied militias and Ethiopian troops were advancing towards Bula Burde town. Al Shabaab militants kill four in stronghold village in Somalia12 Jan – Source: Shabelle – 154 words One of the al Shabaab fighters reportedly shot dead at least four people in Elasha-Biyaha area, about 18-km away south of Somalia’s lawless capital, Mogadishu, witnesses said Thursday. Witnesses confirmed to Shabelle Media via telephone, on condition of anonymity in fear of their security, that a fighter loyal to hard-line al Shabaab militants opened fire deliberately on civilians in Elasha-Biyaha area, killing at least four local people and wounding many others. The reason behind this incident was not immediately clear, but some reports from the area suggest that the killer has escaped from the scene. The movement of the people and public transportations heading to Mogadishu were also stopped for a moment by the operations. Somali regional administration opposes national political Roadmap11 Jan – Source: Radio Simba, Radio Mogadishu – 156 words Himin and Heeb regional administration in central Somalia has strongly opposed the Somali political Roadmap, privately-owned Radio Simba reported on 10 January. Radio Simba quoted Mohamed Omar, spokesman of the administration as saying that his administration has nothing to do with the Roadmap, adding that the outcomes of the national political Roadmap summit in Nairobi, Kenya cannot be taken to central regions of Somalia. The spokesman said: “We urge every clan to govern its locality, district and towns, Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a cannot manage and govern central regions of Somalia, we declare that the moderate Islamists group is the only obstacle to union between regional administrations in order to create one regional administration in central regions of the country”, the source added. This is not the first time Himin and Heeb regional administration strongly oppose both the roadmap and moderate Islamists of Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a group. Puntland government issues statement on misinterpretation of Puntland President’s speech11 Jan – Source: Garowe Online – 215 words The Puntland government issued a statement to clarify a misrepresentation of facts regarding the Puntland government’s position on intensifying screening procedures limiting the entry of new Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs) arrival to Puntland state of Somalia on security grounds, Garowe reports. Local media misinterpreted the Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole’s speech presented at an election anniversary for the incumbent administration held in Bossaso, early this month. In his speech, the President said that the recent exodus of IDPs to Puntland – related to the recent attacks on al Shabaab positions in southern and south central zones of Somalia- posed a threat to Puntland’s internal security. He added that this exodus was another opportunity for al Shabaab to infiltrate secure positions in the Puntland state of Somalia. “The intensification of entry screening for the new arrival of IDPs is a precautionary measure that will not affect resident IDPs in Puntland” the government spokesman clarified. TFG troops nab rebel supply in parts of Lower Juba12 Jan – Source: Radio Bar-Kulan – 90 words Reports from Shibirey settlement, 36 KM east of Qoqani say government troops in the area seized donkey-driven carts transporting food and other military supplies for rebel fighters in the area. TFG troops patrolling along the area netted six people including five militants and three donkey-driven carts presumably for rebel fighters in the area, according to an official. Col. Mukhtar Sheikh Abdi, TFG military official in Shibirey told Bar-kulan that they seized the rebel-bound consignment and recovered 11 AK47 riffles. He added that a civilian was also among those seized. REGIONAL MEDIALocal firm to map out Somalia crisis11 Jan – Source: Al Shahid – 459 words A Kenyan-based non-profit software development firm has teamed up with Al Jazeera media to use its technology to assess the impact of the conflict in Somalia on the citizens. Ushahidi and Al Jazeera English channel have partnered under a deal dubbed “Somalia Speaks”. The project aims to record the experiences of Somalis, both within the country and in the diaspora, using text messages. Launched last month, the project will be the first informal citizen survey conducted on Somalia by any establishment since eruption of civil war in 1991. “The aim has been to spur citizen engagement and amplify the voice of the voiceless, as well as leverage on simple technology to increase engagement and get stories,” said Mr Soud Hyder, Web and social media manager at Al Jazeera. About 5,000 text messages were sent to phone numbers owned by ordinary citizens in all major regions in Somalia. They read: “Al Jazeera wants to know how the conflict of the past few months has affected your life? Please include the name of your hometown in your response. Thank you” So far, about 4,000 responses have been received from Somalia with several hundreds from the diaspora through the Web. Kenyan military spokesperson in Twitter execution photo blunder12 Jan – Source: African Review – 558 Words Kenya’s military spokesman has taken responsibility for posting old photographs which allegedly showed the stoning of a Kenyan by al Shabaab militants in Somalia on Tuesday. Major Emmanuel Chirchir however insisted that an execution did take place on Tuesday and hinted that another two executions were likely to take place on Friday afternoon after the story went viral. “I hear you, I take responsibility,” Maj Chirchir wrote on Twitter. “But hey let’s condemn [sic] such acts past, present or future.” An American journalist exposed that the photos posted by the spokesperson on the social site Twitter were actually taken in 2009. The four graphic photos showed a man buried to his chest in the ground. The photos then show masked men hurling stones at the man, after which they removed his dead body from the ground. Maj Chirchir stated that the man was a Kenyan from Nairobi, and was stoned to death in the port city of Kismayu in southern Somalia on Tuesday. “Dead after being stoned… Recruit Kenyan kill them if you differ on opinion,” he wrote on his Twitter account. INTERNATIONAL MEDIAThree Kenyan policemen shot dead near Somali border12 Jan – Source: AP – France 24 News – 462 words Gunmen killed three Kenyan police and wounded two others in the latest of a string of attacks in the northeastern border region with war-torn Somalia, police said Thursday. “The attack occurred at a camp in Gerille in Wajir on Wednesday night and we lost three officers, two others were injured,” a senior police officer in the region, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP. “There are others who have not been accounted for,” he said, adding that the attackers had used firearms and thrown an explosive device. The strike took place some 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Kenya’s border with Somalia, an area hit by a series of blasts in the three months since Nairobi sent troops into Somalia to fight Islamist al Shabaab insurgents there. Hand grenades have been thrown into bars and a church, while homemade explosive devices have been set off, many targeting security forces. Police spokesman Eric Kiraithe confirmed the attack but said he had not yet “received the full details.” No group claimed responsibility, but Kenyan officials have repeatedly blamed Somalia’s Al-Qaeda linked Shebab or their sympathisers for previous bombings and shootings, although armed bandits also operate in border areas. AU asks UN Security Council to expand Somalia mission11 Jan – Source: VOA – 423 words
An African Union delegation asked the United Nations Security Council Wednesday to approve the expansion of its mission in Somalia and provide it with logistical and other support it needs to crush Islamist insurgents who have challenged the transitional government and threatened peace and security in the Horn of Africa and beyond. The African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ramtane Lamamra, asked the 15-member Security Council to approve increasing the African Union mission strength from the authorized 12,000 troops to a little more than 17,000. He also asked the council, which provides funding for much of the mission known as AMISOM, to provide needed force enablers and multipliers, such as tactical and transport helicopters, as well as logistical support. Lamamra noted that gains made on the ground by AMISOM and forces of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) must be protected and built upon. “For the first time in 20 years, almost the whole of Mogadishu is now under the control of the TFG. In addition, military operations in other parts of the country by the TFG forces, with the support of Kenya and Ethiopia, have further weakened al Shabaab extremists and other anti-peace elements,” Lamamra said. AMISOM is made up of troops from Uganda and Burundi. Djibouti recently joined the mission, sending 850 troops to AMISOM. The Kenyan and Ethiopian forces Lamamra referred to are assisting in the south and east of Somalia, respectively, but are not currently part of the AU mission. The AU plan would have the Kenyan troops “re-hatted” as part of the AMISOM mission, accounting for most of the 5,700 additional troops they are asking for. Somalia piracy leads to economic development12 Jan – Source: The Epoch Times – 716 Words While certainly damaging to the international shipping industry, the fruits of Somali piracy are benefitting more than a handful of criminals—they’re being shared with the greater community, a new report based on satellite imagery has found. “The international community should bear these results in mind when developing land-based strategies to resolve Somalia’s pirate problem,” stated Dr. Anja Shortland, the author of the report for British think tank Chatham House. The context of the research was to shed light on the financial impacts of piracy in Somalia to help the international community develop a land-based approach to fighting the scourge of piracy on the Horn of Africa. It is estimated that in 2010, piracy cost the international community between $7 billion and $12 billion. Somalia has been without a central government since 1989, making it difficult for analysts to obtain data on economic activity in the country. Culture of Sharing: Shortland points out that Somalia has a deep-rooted, sharing culture, which means that wealthy people raise their status by sharing with members of their clan. “Significant amounts of ransom monies are spent within Somalia, but conspicuous consumption appears to be limited by social norms dictating resource-sharing,” says the report.
SOCIAL MEDIACULTURE / OPINION / EDITORIAL / BLOGS/ DISCUSSION BOARDSIs Somalia’s al Shabaab on the back foot?12 Jan – Source: BBC – 1232 Words Somalia’s militant al Shabaab insurgent group stares a possible military collapse in the face as a coalition of African forces, fighting on multiple fronts, steadily advances on its southern heartland and the United States steps up drone and naval attacks. Its military fortunes have dramatically worsened in the last year. It began when an alliance of clans supported by Ethiopia pushed it out of most of the central regions of Hiran and Galgudud. This was followed by the loss of the capital, Mogadishu, in August 2011 – no doubt a big psychological and political blow. Outgunned by the African Union force (Amisom), its ability to wage a conventional war seriously diminished and having suffered huge losses, al Shabaab’s badly mauled combat units pulled out of the battered capital they have struggled to control since early 2007. In the southern regions of Gedo and Juba, Kenyan combat troops and allied local militias, backed by heavy armour and fighter jets, have been putting pressure on al Shabaab in the last three months, making significant territorial gains. Ethiopian troops made an incursion into Somalia in the New Year, the biggest since the December 2006 invasion. Al Shabaab goes to war with Kenyan army on Twitter11 Jan – Source: The Globe and Mail – 553 Words With the Kenyan military bogged down in a slow-moving invasion of Somalia, its fiercest clashes with the enemy are now erupting in a new battlefield: the Twitterverse. And in the Twitter wars between the Kenyan army and its Islamist foes, it was a senior Kenyan spokesman who suffered an embarrassingly self-inflicted wound. The Kenyan army spokesman, Major Emmanuel Chirchir, has been waging a ferocious Twitter campaign against the militant fighters of al Shabaab. But in his latest volley on the micro-blogging service, he misfired badly by tweeting a series of photos from 2009, claiming they were proof that a man from Nairobi had been stoned to death by al-Shabab this week. Major Chirchir, who was ridiculed last year for using Twitter to threaten a Kenyan attack on “loaded donkeys” at the Somali border, said the photos showed a Kenyan man from Nairobi who had been “recruited” by al Shabaab and then was stoned to death on Tuesday because he had a different “opinion” from them. He said the stoning took place in the southern Somali city of Kismayo, a key target of the Kenyan offensive. A few hours later, a young Somali-American journalist dug up the truth. The photos were not taken in Kismayo this week. They were taken in 2009 in an entirely different place, near Mogadishu, and the circumstances were completely different from Major Chirchir’s version. Al Shabaab was not even involved in the stoning. Busted!!!!12 Jan – Media Madness (Kenya) Blog Our Army has been fighting al Shabaab in Somalia for weeks now. The battle hasn’t been on the ground only, it’s been on the airwaves, with the army trying to win the Kenyan hearts and minds by telling us the bad bad enemy is going down and it’s for our benefit. Ignore the cost implication and the fact NO one really knows what they’re doing in Somalia. News about their activity does make it to our news outlets, but ALL of it comes from the military. Citizen TV, an outfit of pure jokers has had its journalists embedded within the army in Somalia. What they’ve shown us so far is that Michael Njenga looks hideous in military gear, women soldiers can be BAD ass and al Shabaab fighters will surrender WHEN they see a film camera. I’ve always said the Ke media is on a short leash and they’re just vomiting back the garbage the military is peddling. Villages ‘Captured’ in Somalia are reported as ‘Major towns’ Now, enter Major E. ChirChir, the Military Spokesman, the man who CANNOT lie, and the man who gives out press releases via Twitter. I knew something was not clean in the milk, when he Tweeted about some airstrikes the military was about to carry out, the message was directed to the folks in Somalia, as if they’re on Twitter. He was also involved in a very pedestrian Tweef on Twitter with an account run by an Alshabaab sympathizer. Now, yesterday the major Tweeted the following. Soundbytes from Somalia Part 212 Jan – Source: The Writers Corner Blog – 6.22 min Late last year, Voice of the Cape Drivetime Presenter, Shafiq Morton travelled with humanitarian aid organisation, Gift of the Givers to the Horn of Africa. This is part 2 of a series of features on Somalia, produced by Dorianne Arendse and Shafiq Morton. |
|||
|
|||
The Twitter war waged by Kenya Defence Force Spokesman and al Shabaab Press Office dominated the social media circles.